A mixed breed KL3 with 30 mm Optics: a mutt

I got one of the 30 mm optics from Elektrolumens and was hoping to couple it with a 5W HD. Unfortunately, the couple 5W HD's I have are too puky green for me to consider using in a mod. I've been eyeing a proto KL3 bezel I got from PK and It looked like I could trim the skirt off the 30 mm optic and get a mate. I added a Q5 on sink from a destroyed KL1 and a BadBoy 750 to the mix and came up with an interesting mutt:



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The beam is certainly impressive and where real estate allows, I think it is definitely preferable over the NX05. I finished this mod early this morning so I haven't had much time with the light but tonight in walking around, it is a very impressive light. I did some comparative beam shots (L to R) with a Mr. Bulk's LGI, the mutt and a 1 W turbo:



I also took some lux readings at 39" with the following results:

LGI - 690
mutt- 1180
turbo - 3660

I feel very fortunate to have a couple of the Copia 168b batteries to power both the turbo and the mutt as a single 123 just doesn't have the butt needed for the BB700 and BB750. The higher voltage and capacity of the Li-Ion batteries seems to make a good match here. I suspect that a couple NiMh AA's would also work.

I want to thank Elektrolumens for bringing the 30 mm optics to us here at CPF and I think the part will prove to be a very acceptable and viable photon controller. It's too bad it has the lipped skirt on the head though. I hope I can get a good 5W HD in the future and another optic to try.

- Don

KL1 + KL2 + KL3 = mutt?

Don,

What method did you use to turn the optic down to your desired dimension? I haven't been able to find the time recently, to ponder the resizing of the one I bought.

Dan

Excellent work as always.

Dan,

I chucked the optic in the lathe holding it by the back side of the "skirt". I then turned the face down to the diameter I was after and cut back almost to the point where the skirt would have come free from the optic body (this won't make any sense to anyone who doesn't know how the optic is formed). I then reversed the optic in the lathe and held the optic in place by clamping on the newly turned shoulder at the front of the face. I was able to turn away all of the skirt from this position. The polycarbonate has a very low melting point and I found I needed to use a mister to keep the chips from melting and merging with the part.

If you have enough room, you can use the rear of the skirt for a centering reference or find a properly dimensioned tube section for standing or centering the optic. In the larger bezels, I think it will be relatively straight forward in accomodating the optic. Aside from a special mod with reflector that PK has, this optic does provide the best beam I have seen for the batwing LED's. It will be interesting to see if it brodcasts the artifacts of the colored LED's as the NX05 does.

- Don

Don,

Thanks for the info!! I have found the the 30mm optics all but eliminate the infamous "Barbecue Grille" from the 5w cyan HDs. In the real world, the remaining artifacts shouldn't be noticeable. It should be interesting to compare these with the Fraen optics, when they become available.

Dan

I wouldn't count on the Fraens unfortunately. I just got a hold of some 6-degree lenses for the batwings and lambertians - but, to my eye, they don't do much better than the NX05.

Yes, they *do* throw a tighter and brighter beam, but its no lightsaber by any stretch. For something almost 3 times the mass and volume of an NX05, it certainly doesn't quite put out what you'd expect. The 6-degree Fraen, unfortunately, is not the lens that will put incandescents+reflectors out of business.

However, those wanting more usable light in the immediately 10-20feet in front of them will probably find the Fraens 6-degree very likeable. They seem more efficient than the NX05s (probably because of their size) and they do generate a good amount of extra sidespill when compared to the NX05. ie. more photons exiting from the front. So, as long as you're not looking for a pencil beam, the Fraen's are OK. They will make a very useful flashlight, but it will never be a true flashaholic crowd pleaser in the conventional sense.

YMMV also depending on whether you're working with 1W or 5W luxeons. The effects are more pronounced with a 5W for sure.

Still, I think its too bad they're a little big and those four humongous molding tabs are a real PITA to work with/around.

I've been trying to get some info on the suitability of the 30mm for the KL3 using a 5W part but haven't gotten any replies from Elektrolumens Is the optic being sold to the general public? I'd like to put this in my 5W mod. McGizmo, if you want better 5W parts, Arc has them in U3, U4, and V3 rank. They are not green.

Originally posted by hotfoot:
Still, I think its too bad they're a little big and those four humongous molding tabs are a real PITA to work with/around.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I believe that the four nubs will be eliminated on the newer production lenses. The remaining (mandatory) injection spru has been redesigned to tuck it away under the rim of the optic.

I have some Fraens for an upcoming test, but only in the Batwing configuration. In my initial test (just holding the optic in front of a bare headed flashlight) I thought the Fraen was much better than the NX05. I still have to get them side by side for a direct comparison and get some beam shotz.

Part of my hold up in getting this done is because my current mods are too small to house the larger Fraen optic. It is very difficult to hold the optic in place and still get a decent photo. Since this is gonna take 3 hands, I might have to get the little lady to help out..

I also tried one of the 30mm optics, but it is HUGE - being more like 36mm due to the large rim. This makes the 30mm optic unsuitable for all but the larger lights since I do not own a lathe to cut the rim off. I expect it to be a nice match for the Mag D & C size lights, but the reflector seems to do just as good of job and already comes with the flashlight..

CM,

I don't know what the story is on the 30 mm; only that I was lucky enough to get the one from Wayne J. and hope more will be available. As Slick mentioned, it is huge and the design looks proprietary to me. I.E., the rim or skirt is such that I suspect that this Optic has been designed to drop in and finish off the front end of a flashlight or other type of light. It does not appear to be an internal component by design. The LED end has a nice counter bore which allows the optic to rest on the the LED and spread any compression load over the black base of the LED. I would assume that this design would allow for a compression chain as is the case in many mods and the Arc LS without as much tendency of pushing out the goo (farkle I think it's being called?)

It's nice to hear that the optic does away with the "grill" since this Optic is a combination of two lenses like the NX05, I wonder if the two parts of the beam composite are doing a better job of overlapping or if it's a case of the beams being slightly out of focus. In any case, the photons seem to be exiting the light in a good disbursement. In the case of the mod here, there does seem to be two areas of brightest intensity; the center hot spot and at the perimeter of the corona. However, there is enough light between these two spots to be a useful beam.

- Don

Guys, the 30 mm optics are available on Electrolumens' site for $8.-

Electro Lumens

Thanks Bart!

Duh! I didn't realize they were available on his site. Order placed.

- Don

I bought a 2D light that Hallmark cards sells. It has a picture of the cartoon Maxine on it with a logo of "where batteries come to die" on it. I did the old 2D to 3C change and stuck a LS in the reflector with a NX05 optic on it. It had the usuall 30cm (about a foot) hot spot. As i finished the mod, my 30mm optic came in the mail and I wanted to give it a test so I popped off the NX05 and slapped on the 30mm. WOW, the hot spot shrunk to about 5cm (two inches) and nice and bright. I highly recommend this optic, if one has the room for it, in mods.

I have one on order myself,
Wayne, the MO is in the mail...it really is! My latest "gotta have it or the earth will quit spinning on it's axis" light is the 5W Cyan 5D M*g. Just want the brightest, most narrow beam to pierce the night (and smoke retinas) Yes, I am going to put a sticker on it "Aim away from face" to see how many people will aim it at their face
Now to see some beam shots from some folks that have converted the 5W to Wayne's optics to make me impatient.

Does anyone have any actual dimensions for the Fraen lenses? Are all the degree variations the same physical dimensions? Can anyone share this info?

BTW, I don't have a lathe, but I have reduced the diameter of some NX05's by sanding the perifery using a small benchtop vertical sander. It's not the neatest or most precise method, but it DOES work.

I put a 5W into a Blaster II this weekend. I'm using a converted 6AA battery pack, and a spacer. I measure about 2,400 lux. Not a small spot, but a nice flood of light. I finally got to see what the white 5W looks like. Very nice.

If you have a lambertian 1W, try the 30mm optics with it. I measured 3,460 lux at 1 meter with the lambertian 1W. A very tight focused beam, very narrow, very bright. Throws very far. Although the lux reading is higher, the 5W is still putting out maybe 4 times as much light, but not as tightly focused, so the lux reading is lower.

I'd like to see if someone else can confirm the brightness of the 1 watt lambertian with the 30mm optics. This was not direct drive either.

The 1 watt is sufficient for close up tasks. The 5 watt is way to bright to use for any kind of close up work. Only good for illuminating the field, or blinding someone

Wayne J.

I don't know if the 30mm has a flat front like the NX-05, but if so, an easy way to hold them in a lathe is to use double-sided (thin) tape. Face off a piece of rod a little smaller than wou want to turn the optic, and stick it on. (Make something to stick in the tailstock chuck to center it.) I hope somebody else trys increasing the "cone" angle say to 64 or more degrees and posts the effect on the beam.

Larry

Since the mutt is less than a "show" dog, It seemed a good host for more silly experimentation as well as off the wall components. I have been meaning to start a learning curve using composite materials with flashlights and the mutt got a carbon/ kevlar battery tube:



The photo is actually being overly friendly to how this body actually looks but the function is there. I knew I would likely fail in getting the vacuum bag to form the sock well and using a carbon/kevlar hybrid weave allows for no "fixing" or cosmetic repair. This feeble attempt taught me to stick with all carbon next time.

Ergonomically and in terms of heft and feel, the light is a real success. Besides, lights are to provide light, not be looked at under the light, right?

- Don

EDIT: The underbody is a trimmed down G2Z tube and the tailcap is from the same light but has a Kroll clickie within.

So, is this one called 'MuttLux' ??

Wayne J.

MuttLux? Sounds OK by me. I was thinking bowser 30

Since it's destined to be a one of a kind, probly doesn't even need a name.

- Don

I like McMutt better.